You heard this term from your bodybuilding friends or you heard about the book from Tosca Reno. Clean Eating means,  eating food as close to its natural state as possible. Basically, if you can grow, fish for it, pluck it, that’s clean eating. When you eat clean your goals are to avoid eating additives as much as possible. So what are additives’  I tell all my clients read the back of your food to really understand what is inside the box. The front of the box is where food manufactures try to sell you on what’s inside, the back of the box is where the FDA requires them to come clean with what’s inside. So the less ingredients you see the closer to the source the food is.

Here are just a few of the more popular additives.

• Aspartame: better known as Equal/Nutrasweet and is 180 times sweeter than sugar, plus in my humble opinion has an after taste. Be careful with how much you eat, as too much may cause headache and vision issues. For more information on Aspartame dangers.
• High Fructose Corn Syrup: is a highly processed sweetener made from corn that more than 40% of all food products in the US contain. When processed by your body, it’s sent directly to your liver, because it can’t be absorbed by your cells. Once processed by your liver, it’s stored as FAT!
• Mannitol: the sugar alcohol that is in many of those “sugar-free” products.  While it doesn’t have calories, it does a dosey on your stomach, causing some to spend some quality time in the bathroom, if you know what I mean.
• Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (trans fat): This is the “trans fats” that you have been hearing so much about.  They are in baked goods and margarine. It’s a low cost way of increasing the shelf life of foods.  Why are they so bad for you’ They aren’t good fats, and increase your changes of heart disease, raise the bad cholesterol levels while reducing the good cholesterol levels. Bottom line — STAY AWAY!
• Sucralose: Also known as Splenda, it’ 600 times sweeter than sugar and honesty the jury is still out. So similar to aspartame, take in small doses.

We all have two choices…We can make a living or we can design a life. ~Jim Rohn

5 ways to avoid weight loss procrastination

Motivation Monday

You’ll never regret it.

Americans spend between $33 and $40 billion on diet programs, books, products and other gimmicks.  We are obsessed with getting leaner and meaner, but we aren’t obsessed with the hard work that it takes to achieve the slim trim figure that they are seeking. Below are the top 10 reasons why diets don’t work.

1. You follow a diet that you can’t stick with because a friend of yours has seen results.
   You’re better off finding a diet that works for the type of eater that you are.  Carb junkie, try the Mediterranean diet the high good fat content will help keep you satiated. Meat lover, try a slightly, again slightly higher protein intake level. Take your weight in pounds ÷ 2 = grams of protein/day.

1. You don’t eat breakfast or eat enough for breakfast.
   Eating breakfast can help you lose weight, yes, it can.  If you answer for why you don’t eat in the AM is because you don’t feel hungry, take a look at what you are eating in the evening prior. Breakfast eaters have lost on average 30 pounds more than non-breakfast eater.  Be sure to include a carbohydrate, and a protein. Below are to examples of great breakfasts.
   No cook breakfast recipe Ricotta Pancakes
2. You don’t count calories.
   Trust me, when you don’t write down what you eat, you may be eating MORE than you think. Especially if you are a nibbler, you know who you are, you pick all day long. Guess what it ADDS up!! Or are you that person who doesn’t eat ALL day and then gorges yourself in the evening. Get a grip on what you’re eating by keeping a food log, this will tell you what type of eater you are and how many calories you are actually consuming.
3. You skip meals.
   The USDA recently reported that waiting 4-5 hours between meals will cause you to overeat.  If your excuse is that I can’t get away from my desk or I have back to back meetings and don’t have time to eat.  Stock your drawers, glove box, gym bag what have you have with healthy snacks ~ whole grain cereals, pre-packaged nuts, Greek Yogurt or fresh fruit.
4. You load up on superfoods.
   These may be good for you, but too much of a good thing is bad for you. Make sure you are eating, nuts, avocados, dried fruit in MEASURED quantities.
   Superfood: Blueberries
5. You workout so you can eat whatever you want.
   So you just go back from a kick out spin class or lifting weights, so now that means you can eat whatever you want right, I mean you EARNED, right! AHHH, NO!!!! Unless you are wearing one of those heart rate monitors that can accurately measure that amount of calories you expended and you are tracking what you eat with a fine tooth comb, you are very likely to OVEREAT! A great post workout meal includes quick acting carbohydrate such as a piece of fruit and a protein like a yogurt. Instead of rewarding yourself with food have about a nice massage after a certain number of workouts.
6. You live it up on the weekends.
   Monday-Friday you are watching every morsel you put in your mouth, then the weekends come and you lose your GOD DAMN mind. These activities bring all your dieting efforts to a screeching halt.  Be sensible on the weekend, give yourself a cheat meal, no one needs to be deprived.
7. You’re a stress eater/drinker.
   You had a bad day so you dive deep into the chocolate, the ice cream or cocktails. Give in, but put a limit on it. Instead of shotgunning a whole pint of Ben and Jerry’s go and have 1 scoop, yes 1 scoop will help feel better without putting it on your ass.
8. You are sleeping enough.
   You go to bed to late, stress or children keep you from sleeping. Poor sleeping conditions will cause you to overeat or under eat. See I’m Exhausted for more tips on how to get a good night sleep.
9. Not getting enough exercise.
   Just watching what you eat will not help you lose weight, you will need to MOVE. You heard me MOVE. You will need to budget 25 minutes 5/week to exercise. Now am I saying go out run 5 miles, not at all. You can start simply by walking at lunch or going a extra few blocks with the dog during your morning or evening walks, Fido would appreciate it.
10. Not drinking enough water.
    When we don’t drink enough water, its easy confuse hunger with thirst. I know they say you drink a gallon. Pick yourself up off the floor, I know a gallon is a lot, but I’m not saying walk around like the bodybuilders you see at the gym loaded up with their gallon of Poland Springs.  But what I am saying is that if you purchase a waterbottle that holds exactly 1 quart and you give yourself a goal to drink 4 of your waterbottles in 12 hours, guess what you’ve drank your gallon of water SURPRISE.

Do you have any other reasons why you think diets don’t work. Do you have any tips that might help others achieve their goals.

Blueberries make an excellent summer refreshing treat, but they are POWER PACKED with nutrients and antioxidants that help fight disease and inflammation.  Blueberries contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than most fruits or vegetables and have been ranked #1 for the level of  antioxidants they have in 1 serving. It is believed that consumption of blueberries will help lower your risk of cancer.

Consumption of blueberries may help prevent and fight Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, eye disease and some forms of blindness, urinary tract infections, and other serious and potentially deadly conditions. Consuming blueberries may even slow the signs of aging and help reduce cholesterol.

Are you ready to start incorporating blueberries into your diet’ Here are some great recipes.

Lo Cal Blueberry Muffin II

Blueberry Smoothies

Thursday, June 25 was a tragic day when the pop icon Michael Jackson died. Honestly, I haven’t thought Michael Jackson in year, but with his death the memories of him come flooding back.  My sister and I dancing on our green shag carpet, yes green shag! Going to Tanya Lopez sleepover party and having to make up a dance to any song off Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall album. My sister and I getting so EXCITED when we got Michael Jackson sparkly socks for Christmas.  Those were some great memories.

With his death stories are still swirling around about the cause of his death and the controversay that surronded him, but no matter no way can take away all the he accomplished.

• Thriller was number one for 37 weeks
• Thriller spent 80 weeks at on the top 10 billboard
• Four albums debuting at number 1
• Supported charities
• 3 children
• Millions of fans

I could go on and on, but no matter how successful Michael he wasn’t content.  Is this you’ Do you have a number of successes or hell even 1 success and  yet still can’t find happiness in them.  Take a moment relish all that you have.  Is it the love of your  family, a smile from your children or accomplishing a goal that you set for yourself. Whatever it is take the time to relish and savor the feeling.

Talk to me, what do you remember about Micheal Jackson’s music or what accomplishment are you going to savor.

Have ever been so overwhelmed that you asked yourself. Holy U*()J! how am ever going to get that ______________done!! That was me yesterday. Typically before a show I don’t freak or melt down, like I’ve seen other competitors, in fact I’m typically the person talking them off the ledge. Yesterday was my melt down! Boy was I on the ledge. So overwhelmed I couldn’t see the trees for the forest or whatever that expression is.  You know what I mean. You know that place that you get to where all you see Holy &FJ^!*.
Then I reached out for help.  My good friend Alison talked me in off the ledge!! I was so overwhelmed with show prep that I lost site of myself and the mantra that I always say. DO WHAT YOU CAN, YOU CAN’T DO IT ALL!

I now have 2 ½ weeks left to get ready for my show, so I’m doing what I can.  Freaking out isn’t going to do anything positive. So I’m stepping back and focusing on the things I can make a difference. My goal with this site is to become that resource so that we can share ideas not just on fitness, but in other areas of your life.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed’ Do you reach out and ask for help’ Do you use your resources and ask for help’

Talk me

I have been talking about my goal of doing Tri Fitness in July. Well the show is 3 weeks away. AHHH. I have 6 pounds to lose, but I MADE IT OVER THE WALL. My biggest fear during all this training was that I would not make it over the wall, which is the 1st obstacle. Well I DID it!!!

Between 1962 and the year 2000, the number of obese Americans grew from 13% to  31% of the population. According to the U.S. Surgeon General report obesity is responsible for 300,000 deaths every year.* Obesity-related conditions costs an estimated 100 billion dollars a year, this number includes medical costs and lost work hours.
According to the ADA of 1990 a disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Obesity is defined as accumulation on excess body fat that has adverse effects overall health.

Instead of calling it a disability we should call it what it is, an epidemic that has been proven to shorten life spans and increase the onset of other chronic diseases. If we label it a disability we tie the hands of the doctors who can prescribe what obese invididuals need, diet and exercise.

Let me know what you think. Should it be called a disability’

*The National Center for Health

No fooling, there is actually a day that celebrates runners! Well I am a born again runner. Back in the day, when I had a job that STRESSED me out, I would go out and  just run. It made me feel so much better, I got addicted to runner’s high. I basically started running because my doctor doesn’t believe in just handing out drugs, so she told me to start exercising, do yoga and recommended I read a book called “Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff”. Yes, I did curse her out in my mind on the way home.

Well, I gave running a try and guess what, it worked. My headaches and upset stomachaches went away.  I actually started to look to  forwarded to running and it felt amazing when I set running goals for myself and broke time records.  It was AMAZING. Then I decided to start doing road races to give me a goal to keep running. Wow how motivating it was  it to set a goal and meet it.

My husband and I met 15 years ago at the Falmouth Road Race, so we decided that this year we would run the race together. Well, fingers crossed we make it in, it’s a really competitive race!

Are you headed to a bbq this weekend’ Do you think you’ll be tempted by the tasty treats. You can do it!

YOU HAVE CONTROL!! Just like Janet Jackson

This is a story about control, my control

Control of what I say, control of what I do

And this time I’m gonna do it my way
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do
Are we ready’ I am’ cause its all about control
And Ive got lots of it

And you do!!

You are the master of your domain. You made the decision to lose weigh or keep the weight off. So now it’s up to you to create the perfect environment to achieve your goals and stay in control.

How do you do that’

• Ask the hostess/host if it’s okay to bring a healthy dish.
• Bring some healthy snacks for you to eat.
• Eat before you go so that you are not tempted to cheat

Please let me know how you made out’

There is nothing like a dream to create the future. — Victor Hugo,  Les Miserables

Here are 5 ways to give you the kick in the butt to jump start your weight loss procrastination. The unofficial start to summer,  Memorial Day is just 4 short days away!

1. Understand your motivation: If you are planning to lose weight for someone other than yourself, it will never work. Get real around why you want to lose the weight! Do you have a summer event coming up and want to fit into that little black dress or have you signed up for a summer road race and need some motivation to get training. Step back and look yourself in the eye and ask WHY DO I WANT TO DO THIS!
2. Use your motivation to your advantage. Do you beat yourself up, each day that you don’t take steps to our goal. Use your goals as the push you need to keep going. I find that by hanging posters or motivational quotes really help give me the push in the right direction that I need.
3. Change your internal language! Instead of saying I HAVE TO or THERE IS NO WAY. Change your dialog. I want to lose 25 pounds so that I will be _____________ (insert what happens when you achieve your goals or how will you feel when you achieve goals.
4. Set goals fueled by your passion. You can’t go anyway without a road map, okay now a days GPS.  Here is where you take those goals and break them up. Your goal for this week is to lose 1 pound and develop a plan on how you are going to do that. Want to run a 10K, go to this site Need help more, shoot me an email.
5. Still not fired up to get moving on your goals, try this. Write a letter to your future self. Imagine that you have achieved your goals. What would you say to yourself, how would you feel, how would you look, what would you do. Now write a letter to yourself as if you didn’t meet your goals. Both letters will help you drive you forward.

Still need a kick in the pants, shoot me an email. Have any additional comments, just post them below.